Booth unit



T. M CARTAN BOOTH UNIT Nov. 29, 1955 Filed March 5, 1954 ITZE'ZTZE:

THOMAS l7c CAPTAN United States Patent 2,725,272 BOOTH UNIT ThomasMcCartan, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Bee and' Gee Manufacturing (30.,Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application March 5,1954,Serial No. 414,432 3 Claims. (Cl. 312-228) The invention relates toimprovements in a combination hair dressing and shampooing booth unitand is concerned with the novel construction of such a unit as a wholeand specifically with the structure and mounting of a movable table topwhich normally covers and substantially conceals a shampoo bowl and theoperators supplies and accessories.

The present invention is embodied in -a booth unit designed for use in abeauty shop. Such a unit normally appears as a vanity, it including atable top, a mirror, and cabinet sections below the table top. Theincorporation of a wash bowl in a unit of this character enables theoperator to shampoo, rinse, or hair-dye and to then perform all of thevarious stages of dressing the hair without requiring the patron to moveinto various locations. Units of this general character are known tohave been used before but each know-n construction incorporates certaincharacteristics makingjit unsuited for general use. The presentconstruction embodies a novel manner for hingedly mounting the portionof the table top which normally lies in a horizontal plane over andsubstantially conceals the wash bowl. When so positioned, it issupported rigidly and it can be moved into a substantially verticalposition, exposing the wash bowl for use, with little effort and is heldin such position by its own weight, thus obviating any need for latchesor hinge stays.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a novellyconstructed booth unit.

Another object is to provide a novel booth unit structure and associatedmovable table top.

Another object is to provide novel means for hingedly mounting the tabletop so as to insure its remaining in various positions without the useof latches or hinge stays.

Another object is to provide a novel hinge structure and mountingtherefor.

Another object is to provide a booth unit with a normally concealedcontainer or shield for accessories or supplies.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel featuresof construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that variouschanges in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structuremay be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I haveillustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof,from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with thefollowing description, my invention, its mode of construction, assemblyand operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understoodand appreciated.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference areemployed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a booth unit embodying thefeatures of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 22 ofFig. 1, showing parts in elevation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially on line33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the disclosure in the accompanying drawing, the booth unitillustrated includes a pair of spaced apart lower cabinet sections 11and an upper section 12. The cabinet sections 11 are each provided witha top 13 which extends rearwardly from the front edge thereof to thefront plane of the upper section 12. The upper section 12 may be facedwith a mirror 14 or finished in any desired manner. Upon referring toFigs. 2 and 3, it will. be observed that the front plane of the uppersection 12 is located rearwardly of the front plane of the cabinetsections 11 and that a heavy beam or brace 15 extends across the tops ofthe cabinet sections 11 and the space therebetween to provide a firmsupport for the upper section 12.

The space, generally indicated at 16, between the two cabinet sections11 is adapted to receive therein a wash bowl 17 which is connected bysuitable plumbing 18 with a source of Water supply and with aconventional drain 19. The plumbing for such water supplies and drain iscontained within a space 21 beneath the upper section 12 and in front ofthe wall or other supporting surface 22 against which the cabinet isplaced.

A panel or wall 23 bridges space 16 between the cabinet sections '11.This wall is located in a plane rearwardly of the front plane of thecabinet sections 11 and its top edge 24 terminates in the same plane asthe plane of the bottom faces of the tops 13 on cabinet sections 11. Thewall 23 affords a mounting for the wash bowl 17 and also constitutesmounting means for a movable top 25 adapted normally to lie horizontallyin the same plane as the table tops 13 to thereby constitute acontinuation thereof.

As is best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the movable top 25 is hingedlymounted so as to be movable from the horizontal position shown in fulllines in Fig. 2, into the vertical position illustrated in dotted linesin said figure. The hinge mounting includes a pair of like hingeelements 26, one of which is mounted adjacent each side edge of themovable top 25. The specific form of the hinge element 26 is notcritical; however, it is preferred that it be substantially triangularin shape, as best shown in Fig. 2, with the base of the triangle firmlymounted on the bottom face of the movable top 25. The apex of thetriangular hinge element 26 is disposed a considerable distance belowthe bottom face of the movable top 25 for a purpose to become apparent.

As shown, the hinge elements 26 are located in back of the wall 23 so asto be concealed from view. A pintle pin 27 is provided one inassociation with each hinge element 26 to constitute bearing meanstherefor. These pintle pins may be secured to the back face of the wall23 or, as illustrated, they may be anchored in any suitable manner tothe opposed walls of the spaced apart cabinet sections 11.

When the movable top 25 is mounted in the manner described and bestillustrated in Fig. 2, the rearmost margin thereof will abut the bottomface of the beam 15. This abutment, plus the resting of the movable topon the upper edge 24 of the wall 23 and the presence of the hingeconnection, serves to provide a very rigid support for the movable top25 when it is in its horizontal position. Owing to the remote locationof the pintles 27, the movable top 25 is partially balanced, is easilymoved from its full line position into the dotted line positionillustrated and, it will remain in the dotted line position untilpositively moved. No latches or hinge stays are required. Thesecharacteristics and advantages result from the low center of gravity ofsaid movable top when it is in its vertical position.

In order to prevent the movable top from striking the front of the uppercabinet section 12 while being moved into its vertical position, thereis provided a stop 28, which stop may embody any suitable constructionbut which is located a considerable distance below the plane of thepintles 27. In the embodiment illustrated, the stop 28 is carried on theback wall of a receptacle 29 that is located immediately in back of thewall 23 and between the hinge elements 26 (Fig. 3). This receptacle isprovided to accommodate various containers of lotions, shampoos, hairdyes and/or other accessories used in connection with treatment of thehair while the movable top 25 is in its raised position. When themovable top is in its horizontal position, the contents of thereceptacle 29 is concealed from view,

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly,and many of its advantages should be readily understood from theforegoing Without further description, and it should also be manifestthat while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed for illustrative purposes, the structural details are,nevertheless, capable of wide variation within the purview of myinvention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

1. A booth unit comprising, in combination, an upright cabinet havinglaterally spaced sections at its lower portion projecting forwardly ofthe front plane of its upper portion, a vertical wall bridging saidlower portions and spaced forwardly of the front plane of the upperportion,

a horizontal stationary top on each of said lower portions, a wash bowllocated in the space between the lower portions below the plane of saidstationary tops, a movable top normally overlying the wash bowl and thespace rearwardly of the vertical wall and lying in the same plane assaid stationary tops to provide therewith an unbroken top surface,hinges connecting said movable top inwardly of its rear edge to saidcabinet, said hinges being located to the rear of the vertical wall andhaving pivots located a substantial distance below the top edge of saidwall whereby when the movable top is moved into a substantially verticalposition it will be retained in such position by gravity.

2. A booth unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said hinges comprise apair of brackets fixedly secured to the bottom surface of said movabletop and depending downwardly therefrom, and pivotal mounting means atthe lower ends of said brackets.

3. A booth unit as recited in claim 2 wherein each of said brackets ismounted adjacent a respective one of the lateral edges of said movabletop, and a receptacle mounted on the rear surface of said vertical wallin the space between said brackets, said movable top overlying saidreceptacle when the top is in its horizontal position and being locatedrearwardly of said receptacle to expose the latter for access when thetop is in its vertical position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

